Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Tuesday 14 December 1999

Scottish Executive

Air Accident

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2120 by Lord Hardie on 8 November 1999, whether the allegations referred to were made in the media coverage regarding the FADEC system and whether any information was provided by the Ministry of Defence regarding the FADEC litigation prior to the Crown Office seeking information.

Lord Hardie: Questions about the FADEC software were first brought to the attention of the Crown Office by solicitors acting for the family of one of those killed in the accident.

Careers Service

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1910 by Henry McLeish on 21 October 1999, what mechanism exists for it to monitor the provision of career services.

Henry McLeish: There are a number of mechanisms. Each year business planning meetings are carried out and a set of numerical targets and performance measures are agreed for each company. The targets typically cover number of interviews, action plans, referrals and placings, work with parents, employers and training providers and other relevant information. Progress towards these targets is monitored on a quarterly basis. Career Service Inspectors maintained regular contact with the companies.

  The principal means of assuring the quality of service delivery is through the Scottish Quality Management System (SQMS). SQMS is an organisational development framework based on internal self-assessment and is subject to external examination by qualified auditors. It is a quality auditing system for all organisations involved in education, training, and guidance in Scotland and has been specifically customised to include an additional standard, Careers Service Delivery, specific to career service companies. SQMS requires to be achieved on a three-yearly cycle.

Careers Service

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1909 by Henry McLeish on 25 October 1999, how many careers advisors with specialist training for dealing with clients with special needs are currently employed in each local authority in Scotland.

Henry McLeish: There are 17 career service company areas which are co-terminous with local enterprise company rather than local authority areas.

  For the number of careers advisors with specialist training, I would refer Mr Hamilton to the answer given to the question S1W-1916, and S1W-2879.

Careers Service

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1916 by Henry McLeish on 25 October 1999, whether it will publish the names and responsibilities of five careers advisors and 7.5 members of staff designated as "other" employed by Argyll and Bute service company.

Henry McLeish: Argyll and Bute Careers Service Company Ltd is a private company and as such the release of information pertaining to staff employed by them is a matter for the company.

Careers Service

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1916 by Henry McLeish on 25 October 1999, when it will publish the outcomes of the new staffing survey of careers services and what stage the survey has reached to date.

Henry McLeish: Information for Scotland and England is currently being collected by the Department for Education and Employment and has yet to be analysed. The projected date for publication is March 2000.

Education

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1915 by Henry McLeish on 25 October 1999, how many pupils with special needs in mainstream schooling have participated in work experience for each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The information on pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools participating in work experience is not held centrally. A new method of data collection has been introduced which will address this anomaly. Data collection is being phased in and full information will not be available until 2002-03 once all schools are participating in the project.

Education

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1914 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 26 October 1999, what procedure exists for assessing clients with special needs in the transitional period between leaving school and finding a career.

Henry McLeish: Clients at school with a record of needs receive a future needs assessment before they leave school. The careers service are involved in this process and their services remain available to the client after they leave school in accordance with individual needs. Further information on future needs assessment is contained in SOEID Circular 4/96, which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

  Other young people who require support but who do not have a record of needs would normally have contact with a careers advisor before leaving school. The careers advisor would discuss their career ideas and identify their learning or training needs, in consultation with the school and other agencies.

  The careers service have a role in assessing clients during the transition period and all careers service companies have careers advisers who have expertise in working with clients who require additional support.

Education

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the levels of both authorised and unauthorised absence among school pupils.

Mr Sam Galbraith: To assist education authorities, schools, teachers and parents in tackling non-attendance the Government supported the publication of the Scottish Initiative on Attendance, Absence and Attainment’s good practice document Close to the Mark , which was published in December 1997. This publication offers practical support materials for schools, pulling together the examples of good practice identified by the Initiative in its work on attendance issues. It contains guidelines to help a school evaluate and develop its own practice in line with HMI publication How Good is our School?. Good practice is shared between schools through the Ethos Network

  Schools and education authorities have now agreed targets to raise attendance, and are putting in place strategies to meet those targets. The framework for setting targets was set out in Setting Targets – Raising Standards in Schools, published on 4 March 1998. Locally agreed targets where returned to HMI at the end of last year.

  Several initiatives funded under the Excellence Fund for Schools – Special Programme, including New Community Schools and Education Action Plans, contain components for reducing the level of absence.

Elderly People

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding reform of the severe weather allowance for pensioners in Scotland.

Ms Wendy Alexander: No. This is a matter for the Secretary of State for Social Security, not for the Executive.

Employment

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to address any unemployment in Unst due to the planned downsizing of RAF Saxa Vord and whether it will make additional funds available to Highlands and Islands Enterprise to create alternative employment in Unst.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive and its agencies take very seriously the impact of the planned reduction in activity at RAF Saxa Vord. In recognition of that I visited Unst, along with the Minister of State at The Scotland Office, on 15 and 16 November to meet the islanders and their representatives and to listen to their views on how future difficulties might be tackled. I also met the Unst Co-ordinating Committee which has been formed to consider appropriate response measures, and of which Shetland Enterprise is a member. The enterprise agencies recognise the uncertainty which faces the economy of Unst and will reflect that in their consideration of employment creation and other projects. The economic needs of Unst will be taken fully into account in future budget allocation decisions.

Employment

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to help those workers and families affected by the recent announcement of job losses on the oil fabrication yards of Ardersier and Nigg.

Henry McLeish: A comprehensive set of response measures is being put in place following the recently announced reduction in the workforce employed by Barmac. An Oil Industry Response Team has been established comprising Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the local enterprise companies, the local authorities, the Employment Service, the Benefits Agency, the Citizens Advice Bureau, Inverness College and the Unions.

  Key priorities for the Team are job placement and upgrading of skills. On-site information centres are also being opened at both Ardersier and Nigg, which will be manned by Employment Service, Highland Council and contract staff. The centres will provide easy access, first-stop advice on employment, skills development and other issues for employees. A comprehensive information pack will shortly be published giving advice, contact numbers etc. This will be given to on-site workers and will be sent to all those have already left employment.

  HIE have placed a contract to create a database (HIE-OPS) which holds personnel data of people affected by the rundown of the oil fabrication industry in the HIE area. The data will include a full description of individuals’ professional, casual and hobby skills to assist with job placement, skills upgrading, or the development of new career structures. A total of 1,584 people have been registered to date.

  HIE are also working with local labour placement specialists based in the Highlands and Islands and will assist them to identify jobs and place as many individuals from the list as is practicable. Although the main effort has still to commence, over 200 persons have been placed to date in short-term posts where the contract duration is a minimum of six weeks.

Employment

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce measures to enable the oil fabrication yards in the Highlands to diversify into new areas.

Henry McLeish: We take very seriously the difficulties currently facing the fabrication yards in the Highlands. The Deputy Minister for Enterprise in the Highlands and Islands and I visited the Ardersier yard only last week to meet the management and unions. While there is uncertainty over the immediate future of the yards, I am encouraged that they have not been closed and that the owners are committed to their retention on a care and maintenance basis in order that the yards are able to compete for orders when market confidence returns. The enterprise agencies are working closely with the company, and stand ready to help it in any way they can to develop new products and services and compete in new markets.

  At last week’s Oil & Gas Industry Task Force, my DTI colleague the Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe, Mrs Liddell, and I impressed on the industry the need for a response to the problems currently facing platform fabricators. As a result, a "Fabricators Forum" has been established and will be meeting before the end of the month.

Employment

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monies have been allocated to former mining communities in the Lothian area through the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive recognises the problems that are faced by many former coalmining communities in the Lothian area and across Scotland. This is why we are providing the Coalfields Regeneration Trust with resources of £4.5 million over three years to support the regeneration of coalfield communities across Scotland.

  The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is now inviting applications for funding from organisations and community groups across Scotland. Once these applications have been processed, decisions will be made by the Trust about which projects to fund.

Housing

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any studies have been undertaken comparing the rent levels of local authority housing providers and housing associations and, if so, whether it will provide details.

Ms Wendy Alexander: In 1998-99 the average housing association rent in Scotland was £37.40 per week. By comparison the average local authority rent in 1998-99 was £35.58 per week.

Land Reform

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the adoption of the European Convention on Human Rights will be taken into account in the drafting of land reform legislation in connection with community right to buy.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive’s legislation on land reform is being drafted taking full account of the need for compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2224 by Mr Frank McAveety on 25 November 1999, whether it will publish Stirling Council’s account of its actions in relation to the co-option of individuals to council committees against the advice of its legal and monitoring officer.

Mr Frank McAveety: It is for Stirling Council to account for its actions in this or any other matter. I understand that the draft minutes of the meeting at which this decision was taken are already in the public domain.

Local Government

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will explain the delay in repealing the provisions listed under the Local Statutory Provisions (Exemption from Repeal) (Scotland) Order 1999 (SSI 1999/157).

Mr Frank McAveety: Section 59 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994 was introduced as a mechanism of requiring all new councils to review the local legislation they inherited at local government reorganisation in 1996. This was to ensure that such legislation was appropriate to the new council area and that any anomalies and inconsistencies were addressed. To allow the new authorities sufficient time to undertake the review, section 59(6) provided that the local legislation inherited to which section 59(6) applies will cease to have effect on 31 December 1999, unless an Order is made which exempts or postpones it from repeal.

  The Local Statutory Provisions (Exemption from Repeal) (Scotland) Order 1999 (SSI 1999/157) contains the local legislation which can continue in force unaltered on the grounds that it meets contemporary needs, thereby avoiding local authorities having to promote unnecessary replacement legislation.

Planning

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of the European Convention on Human Rights, it is proposed to alter arrangements for compensation in the event of a successful compulsory purchase order.

Sarah Boyack: As part of the modernisation of the planning system we are reviewing compulsory purchase, compensation and related matters. Any legislation which we bring before the Scottish Parliament will need to be compatible with the Convention.

Planning

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what private companies, public sector agencies and other entities have the power of compulsory purchase in Scotland under either UK or Scots law.

Sarah Boyack: The following bodies have the power of compulsory purchase in Scotland: Government Departments and some agencies; bodies with statutory obligations; local authorities; certain bodies subject to a Regulator; and others who obtain compulsory purchase powers by way of private legislation.

Prison Service

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with Premier Prison Services regarding the sale of HMP Penninghame, HMP Dungavel and HMP Dumfries.

Mr Jim Wallace: No.

Rural Affairs

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is currently being made of the Crofters Commission and its development functions.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has recently carried out the first stage of a Policy and Financial Management Review of the Crofters Commission. I am currently considering the review report. An announcement will be made in due course.

Rural Affairs

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme was last reviewed and what the outcome was of the review.

Ross Finnie: In 1995, an independent consultant conducted an evaluation of the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme (CCAGS). Subsequently there was a consultation on proposals for change including, in particular, merging CCAGS into a new wider ranging scheme. In the light of that consultation, Ministers of the day decided to leave the scheme unchanged.

Rural Affairs

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to pass Crofters Commission development schemes, including the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme, to Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Ross Finnie: Future arrangements for all functions of the Crofters Commission were assessed in the Policy and Financial Management Review, the first stage of which has recently been completed. I am currently considering the review report, and no decisions have been taken. There are therefore no current plans to pass the development schemes, administered by the Crofters Commission, to Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Rural Affairs

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between Ministers and the Crofters Commission since 1 July 1999, whether the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme was discussed and what the outcome of those meetings was.

Ross Finnie: I met members of the Crofters Commission last month to discuss land reform measures relevant to crofting. This was the only meeting between Ministers and the Commission since 1 July. The Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme was not discussed.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will project a target date for completing work on the 91 bridges identified in Travel Choices for Scotland .

Sarah Boyack: A programme to reassess 58 of the 91 bridges that failed the first level assessment is in progress. To date 18 structures have been re-determined as adequate with 20 confirmed failures. Reassessment of the remainder is expected to be complete by the middle of next year. Until then we cannot give a target date for completing the strengthening and replacement of sub-standard bridges.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1493 by Sarah Boyack on 9 September 1999, whether it plans to erect safety barriers along the dualled section of the A82 in Dumbarton.

Sarah Boyack: There are no plans to install central reserve safety fencing on the urban section of the A82 trunk road in Dumbarton, which is subject to a 40 mph speed limit.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the contribution of sleep apnoea to fatal road accidents is being considered as part of the UK-wide review of speed policy in which it is participating.

Sarah Boyack: The GB Road Safety Strategy for the period to 2010, which is nearing completion, will address issues related to driver fatigue including sleep related accidents. The GB Speed Policy review itself, however, is not looking at the contribution of sleep apnoea to fatal road accidents.

  Current research by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, due for completion in June 2000, is looking at sleepiness as a factor in road accidents. The latest edition of the Highway Code, published in February, offers advice to drivers, based on the early results of the research, about what to do if they feel ill or tired whilst driving.

  The Scottish Executive will consider the need for education and publicity measures relating to driver fatigue in the light of the outcome of the research.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the refurbishment work required on the Kingston Bridge, noted in paragraph 2.6 of Travel Choices for Scotland , is programmed in the Transport and Environment budget and when it anticipates that the Kingston Bridge will become fully operational.

Sarah Boyack: Finance is committed to complete the current phase 1 strengthening contract. In addition provision has been made in the Motorway and Trunk Road Programme for 2000-02 to commence the programme of refurbishment work.

  Until the programme for the refurbishment works has been finalised we cannot say when the current traffic restrictions will be removed and the bridge restored to full operation.